A Potter Secret

Aberforth

Dust still hangs in the air. Those Goblins that survived straggle over the rubble, and the occasional dead colleague, toward the exits. Among them, a familiar figure emerges Griphook. Clutching the sword of Gryffindor, he bumps past his dazed brethren, taking an agitated glance over his shoulder as he hurries on before turning back round and coming to a dead halt before a Death Eater, who raises his wand and points it directly between Griphook's eyes.

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The sun has dropped. Below, the dragon's giant shadow passes over patches of brown and green.

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The trio shiver as they cling to the dragon. Harry slides a few inches. He peers up, past the beast's head. "We're dropping!" Harry shouts.

The dragon circles, lower and lower. A lake shimmers. "I say we jump!" Ron calls.

"When?" Hermione asks.

"NOW!" Harry cries. They drop like stones into the water. Harry spears through, feet first.

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Voldemort, in a rage, wand slashing the air, as he murders goblins and guards, their bodies falling easily. Harry's body twists, feet kicking for the surface as Nagini slithers through the falling bodies, smearing the tiled floor with red as the aged goblin coughs blood and Harry bobs to the surface, coughing up water. As his face streams blood runs into the eyes of the guard who had stalked Ron at Gringotts. Lucius, Narcissa and Draco survey the carnage in stunned silence, while Bellatrix, lips parted, eyes narrowed, watches a widening pool of blood encircle his boot. Voldemort, elder wand clutched in his bony hand, speaks in parseltongue to Nagini. "The boy has discovered our secret, Nagini. We must find out just how much he knows. We must return to our hiding places and see if the others are safe," Voldemort hisses. A rapid succession of images flash, Dumbledore's desk drawer sliding open, revealing tom riddle's diary and a ring with a black stone; the underground lake; an old woman, Hephzibah smith, in a parlor, her teeth black with age, opening a box to reveal Helga Hufflepuff's cup; Hogwarts castle; the face of a beautiful, sad-eyed woman, Helena Ravenclaw, standing with her equally-beautiful mother, Rowena Ravenclaw; the Lestrange's vault at Gringotts; a tarnished tiara, a filigreed Ravenclaw eagle among the crown's detail; Harry himself, staring straight into camera, eyes dark, the surface of his skin trembling like water; Gagini, fangs flashing "And you, my friend, must stay close-" As the great snake wends its way around Voldemort's feet, we see a bloody hand gripping the sword of Gryffindor. It is Griphook, eyes blank, body still. As we watch, the sword slowly vanishes.

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Harry, face ashen, shivers as he watches the dragon, fifty feet up, swoop down, slurp some water and fly on. Seconds later, Ron and Hermione break the surface.

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The trio crashes through the water to the shore. "He knows," Harry coughs. Ron and Hermione, both dripping wet, eye Harry. His chest heaves from the swim to shore. Hermione pulls Isabella out of her bag before handing her bag to Isabella. "You-Know-Who. He knows we broke into Gringotts. He knows what we took. He knows we're hunting Horcruxes."

Hermione stares at him. "How is it you-"

"I saw him," Harry interrupts.

"You let him in! Harry, you can't-" Hermione shouts.

"I can't always help it, Hermione!" Harry shouts back. "Maybe I can. I don't know."

"Never mind! What did you see?" Ron asks.